"You have helped me very much, so how can I reject you?"
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(Srila Prabhupada preaching in the Masonic Lodge, Mexico City. Hanuman das Goswami and Shyamasudara das recording Srila Prabhupada's speech in the back of the Masonic Lodge in June, 1972.)
Srila Prabhupada's preaching mood was all-embracing towards all kinds of people -- old, young, with or without education, rich, poor, man, woman, etc. Among all these people young ones came forward to help him to preach all over the world the sankirtana movement of Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. So 1972 was a very good year for the Hare Krishna movement -- many new temples, new devotees, and many books went out into the hands of the people all over the main cities around the globe. Srila Prabhupada made many new sannyasis out of his disciples from different countries.
Before he came to Mexico City in 1972, on his way His Divine Grace made a few stops, along the way he made sannyasis among His Divine Grace's senior disciples, so the Hare Krishna movement was spreading like wildfire and was therefore in need of sannyasis for preaching purposes. Srila Prabhupada made a few of them among old and young men -- one in Ukland, New Zealand, His Divine Grace's stop in Los Angeles; in the USA he made four, and in Mexico City he made one.
His Divine Grace chose one newly initiated Sannyasi who successfully had preached all over the globe. So he wrote to the temple president in Mexico before sending him: “I am sending one of our new sannyasis, Hanuman das Goswami, to South America. He is here with me now, but he shall leave by ship very soon, so if you have got any Spanish-speaking devotees there who can assist him in preaching throughout South America, you can tell them to write him here at the above address, and they can make arrangements to meet for performing this great task of pioneer preachers on South American continent.” (April 14, 1972)
Now you have traveled all over the world preaching on Lord Caitanya's behalf, Srila Prabhupada was very pleased with Hanuman Goswami. His Divine Grace wrote the following letter after his successful preaching all over South America, in replay to Hanuman Goswam's preaching report from Argentina:
"My Dear Hanuman Goswami, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter dated 6th September, 1973, which I have read with great interest. The Argentina BTG and the photos showing Argentine men and ladies chanting and dancing in ecstasy give me great hope that our Movement will have an important place in Argentina in the near future. Our process is simple, all-embracing; we have something to offer for everyone. There is chanting, dancing, feasting and very perfect philosophy, so everyone may be satisfied with our Krishna Consciousness Movement. Now you have traveled all over the world preaching on Lord Caitanya's behalf, and I think you will agree that wherever you have gone whether in South America or in Far East, everywhere, our movement is appreciated.”
The Hare Krishna Movement along the Chanting was spreading everywhere in the world touching all the stratus in the society because of Srila Prabhupada's world wide transcendental vision which was giving determination and intelligence to his disciples to push strong and forward wherever they went.
So I simply request you, you are doing the greatest service to the world by giving up everything for preaching this Krishna philosophy, you please continue just as you are doing. Introduce this process of chanting Hare Krishna, distribute as much Prasadam as possible, and if possible see that all our books are translated and distributed as widely as possible. This is the greatest welfare activity, and for engaging yourself and others in this way, certainly you will go back to home, back to godhead.”
Srila Prabhupada ends his letter eulogizing his preaching and thanking him for helping spreading the Hare Krishna movement.
“Again I thank you for your sincere preaching effort, and I pray that Krishna may bless you with all intelligence and strength for pushing on this movement.” October 4, 1973
Years later, Hanuman das, came back to Mexico city temple, after he left for preaching in South America. Srila Prabhupada had come for the second time to visit His Divine Grace's Mexican disciples, so Hanuman das took the opportunity and along with him a band of Devotees from South America came to visit Srila Prabhupada, in his new situation, now he had broken his sannyasa vows, and got married with an Argentina devotee. So he was not sure how Srila Prabhupada would deal with his personal situation.
Devotee: I new him as sannyasi when he came for the fist time in June, 1972. I went with him to the airport to greet Srila Prabhupada. I do not know how to behave, he was dressing white but in the same way as sannyasi. We had hear about someone else, has give up sannyasa, but now there was a similar situation, many of us were new, so we were waiting for Srila Prabhupada and for sure we will knew then how to take that particular situation.
Srila Prabhupada came, all the ceremonies come to the end, Srila Prabhupada and his group came up to his quarters, the same as before in 1972, then Hanuman das, and his family along with a good crod of devotees went up to Srila Prabhupada in his room, every body wanted to see how the situation will come out.
Nada dasi: We were in Srila Prabhupada's room, the atmosphere was a bit tense, all of us were waiting Srila Prabhupada´s words.
Sita devi dasi: We jad the good fortune to be in Srila Prabhupada's room when he was visiting the Mexico City temple in 1975. At that time a disciple who had strayed away had returned and was asking Srila Prabhupada to forgive him. He said he was afraid that Srila Prabhupada might have rejected him forever. The entire room fell silent. Srila Prabhupada lowered his head thoughtfully for a moment. Then he looked up and said, "Krishna is God, and if He likes He can spread Krishna consciousness all over the world in a second, without the help of anyone. But I am not God. I am simply a servant of God, so I require assistance. If someone helps me even a little, I am eternally indebted to him. You have helped me very much, so how can I reject you?" We were all moved by Srila Prabhupada's humility and forgiveness.
Every body in the room was lstening to Srila Prabhupada's words very carefully and they can understand how His Divine Grace appreciated the disciple’s service and efforts to help him to carry on the Hare Krishna movement of Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
Devotee: We were touched by the humble and merciful behavior of Srila Prabhupada; we can saw that Srila Prabhupada showed all the great qualities of the Mahabhagavata Acharya adjusting thing accordingly time, place and circumstances.
After he talked with him and his wife, Srila Prabhupada wrote a letter to Hanuman das, showing his transcendental intelligence and liberal mind, capable to occupy any body in any situation in devotional service, making story in the Vaisnava preaching.
Mexico City, 12 February, 1975
Mexico City
My dear Hanuman das,
Please accept my blessings. Regarding your engagement, I strongly recommend and encourage you to travel extensively and preach our philosophy everywhere you go. You have my authorization to open centers as you see fit after considering twice and thrice. Do not whimsically open or establish any center and then close it down later on. Please report to me directly as to your whereabouts and your programs for preaching work. You must be very strict to follow all of the rules and regulations that I have given without even the slightest deviation. By a perfect example from your own conduct, others will be nicely trained up to be perfect Vaisnavas.
I hope this meets you in good health.
Your ever well-wisher,
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
ACBS/ps
Your servant
Tridandi Swami
R.G. Bhakti Prapanna Parvata Maharaja
(Rama Govinda das from Guadalajara)
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